In our Lord's parable, it is by trading that
the talents are increased. Talents are capacities. They are given to us
as possibilities only, requiring to be developed. In a hand there
may be the artist's or the musician's skill — but it must be brought
out, and the only way to do this is by long and diligent practice. In a
brain there may he the gift of the poet, the inventor, the
merchant — but it has to be called out, and there is no way to do this
but by using the talent in its small beginnings, until it grows unto
full vigor.

The same is true of spiritual talents. We are taught
that we should grow in grace — that is, in all the beautiful qualities
which belong to the Christly character.

Take patience, for example. If we would grow
in this grace we must begin at once to practice patience in everything.
It is a lesson, or an art, which has to be learned — it is not
bestowed upon us complete, as a gift.

Take kindness. Every Christian has the
capacity for kindness — but there must be long practice of this grace
before it will grow into its truest and best.

Take sympathy, of which there is such need in
all Christian service. There is an impression that anybody can
sympathize. Almost anybody can feel sorry with one who is in
distress — but this is only a small part of the sympathy which is truly
helpful. To sympathize is to be able to enter deeply and intensely into
the experience of others, and then to add the strength of one's own life
to make them braver and stronger, to help them to be victorious. Wise
sympathy is the outcome only of experience.

Thus the only way to grow in the graces and
virtues of the Christian life, is to exercise those graces by
keeping them at work.

The same is true of Christian activity in all its
forms. It is not easy at first to take part in a religious meeting, to
speak or to offer prayer; and usually one does not begin very fluently
or in a way to be particularly edifying to others. But if the beginner
continues faithfully and persistently to exercise his grace, striving
always to improve, he is at length able to speak or to pray, not only
with ease — but with profit to his fellow-worshipers.

It is not easy at first to confess Christ before the
world. The fear of ridicule is a heavy cross to bear. The
atmosphere of the school, or the street, or the playground, or the place
of business, is so different from that of the church, that what was a
delight and a joy in the congenial fellowship seems almost impossible
among those who are unfriendly. But here, too, the gentle grace grows
strong and vigorous in patient and habitual practice, until by and by
the timid young Christian is known everywhere as a quiet — but faithful,
consistent friend of Jesus Christ.

In every good thing we can learn to do we have to
start as a mere beginner. Everything has to he learned in personal
experience. We can do nothing well at first — nothing that is
worthwhile. Hence it is that Christian work is the best means of grace —
indeed, it is the only means of developing for much usefulness, the
graces and the powers which exist in larger or smaller measure in every
Christian life.

Many good people read the account of the man with the
one talent, who wrapped it up in a napkin, and suppose that the
application is to those who live in sin and reject Christ. Really,
however, the lesson is for everyone who does not put his talent to work
that it may grow. There are thousands of talents wrapped up and hidden
away in the hearts and hands and heads of church members — gifts,
capacities for usefulness and service, which never come to anything
because they are never exercised.

This teaching is startling when it is remembered that
we must give account of our talents and capacities, not merely
returning them unwasted — but bringing them back developed to their full
power. It is still more startling when we know that capacities unused
by us, are lost altogether at last.

We will never make anything worth while of our life
unless we take hold earnestly of Christian duties and activities.
Devotion has its place. We bend over our Bible, we see visions of
heavenly beauty, and hear promptings to services of love. We bow in
prayer, and are drawn into enrapt communion with Christ, and find
great joy in his love. We attend the church, and our hearts are
warmed into a glow as we listen to the preacher's stirring words. We sit
at the Lord's table, and as we remember the love of Christ and its
devotion unto death for us we sing:

All this is right and proper. But if we allow such
feelings and emotions to fade out without ripening into action,
we have received only harm and not good. Every young Christian should
promptly and eagerly enter upon some line of Christian service,
beginning at once to follow Christ in work for the good of others. We
all owe this to our Master, and to our fellow-men, and, besides, it is
in this way only that we can grow into strong and useful Christians.